Posts Tagged: olive
The Achemon Sphinx Moth: A Lovely Beast, Indeed
It is indeed a “lovely beast,” as lepidopterist Art Shapiro, UC Davis...
Eumorpha achemon, the Achemon Sphinx, is a "lovely beast," says UC Davis distinguished professor Art Shapiro. Ann Sievers, owner, grower and miller Il Fiorello Olive Oil Co., recently found this one the wall of her patio. (Photo by Ann Sievers)
What's for lunch? A chicken in one of Ann Sievers' flocks at Il Fiorello Olive Oil Co., eyes the photographer. Chickens eagerly eat lots of bugs--if they're available. The larvae of the Achemon Sphinx moth feed on grape leaves. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Naturalist-photographer Greg Kareofelas took this image of an Eumorpha achemon larva in his yard in Davis several years ago. It was feeding on native grape, Vitus californica. (Photo by Greg Kareofelas)
An adult Eumorpha achemon, photographed by naturalist-photographer Greg Kareofelas in his yard in Davis several years ago. It was feeding on native grape, Vitus californica. (Photo by Greg Kareofelas)
Food bloggers see innovative olive oil production system in Capay Valley
The writers heard about innovations in olive oil production that have allowed California producers to minimize labor costs and maximize yield and quality by establishing super-high-density orchards. Farm manager Joe Armstrong led a farm tour, explaining amendments that had to be added to the soil before planting, the configuration of the trees in hedgerows and an irrigation system that permits application of water to the trees exactly when it is needed.
A graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Armstrong said he choose a career in agriculture precisely because of the new technologies that make the field more efficient and productive.
"That's why I have a passion for farming," Armstrong said.
Ranch owner Chris Steele, who has farmed in Capay Valley his entire life, recognized how such innovations are brought to the farm.
"We couldn't do this without the UC system," he said.
UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists have worked alongside farmers to adapt the new super-high-density orchard systems. The idea was conceived in Spain and introduced into California in the 1990s. Successful use of high-density olive farming requires careful variety selection; finessed pruning, fertilization and irrigation practices; and understanding the cost-and-return for adept decision-making. This month, UCCE scientists released a new cost-and-return study specifically for farmers to use when planning new olive orchards under the super-high-density planting configuration.
Students' olive-oil fraud buster wins international prize
The award was presented to the Aggie inventors during the finals of the three-day global iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machines) competition in Boston. The competition, this year featuring 245 teams from Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America, challenges student teams to design and build biological systems or machines and present their inventions in the international competition.
The students had spent several months designing and building the palm-sized biosensor, which they dubbed OliView. The biosensor is equipped to quickly and easily evaluate the chemical profile of oil, providing producers, distributors, retailers and ultimately consumers with an effective, inexpensive way to ensure olive oil quality.
Verifying olive oil quality is a concern for consumers – many of whom are willing to pay higher prices for the health benefits and flavor of true, extra-virgin olive oil. And honest olive oil producers want to prevent other producers from passing off sub-par olive oil as the real deal, while retailers, distributors and producers want a quick, easy way to ensure olive oil quality.
In addition helping detect fraudulent olive oil, the students' new biosensor will also monitor for good oil that may have gone rancid with age.
The team of undergraduate students included Lucas Murray, Brian Tamsut, James Lucas, Sarah Ritz, Aaron Cohen and Simon Staley, with Yeonju Song serving as the “shadow” or alternate team member. You can tune into Aaron Cohen's recent Nov. 6 Science Friday interview during a discussion of synthetic biology.
The full story and a brief video about the new olive-oil biosensor and this stellar team of young inventors are available at: http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=11076.
Reports on olive-oil quality are available at the web site of the UC Davis Olive Center at: http://olivecenter.ucdavis.edu/research/reports.
Her Name Was Olive
Her name was Olive. Every Friday morning she'd come bounding over to greet me, her tail wagging...
Olive attentively watches for Kris Kolb. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Sarah Hodge pets Olive, while Kris Kolb gardens. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Olive faithfully follows Kris Kolb as she hauls away clippings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Consumers need more information on olive oil
- It’s touted as the “healthy oil." Does that hold true for cooking and eating raw?
- It adds a range of flavors to food. Just what is EVOO and should you pay more for it?
- You can choose “grassy” or “peppery” olive oil. But what does that mean?
- How can you tell if olive oils are adulterated with lesser-grade oils, or oils from entirely different plants?
A new survey, spearheaded by Dr. Selina Wang at the Olive Center at UC Davis, shows that consumers need more information about olive oil in order to make informed decisions. Consumers were asked a number of questions about olive oil. Surprisingly — or maybe not — consumers thought they know more about olive oil than they actually do. Many consumers aren’t savvy about cooking with olive oil or assessing its tastes and qualities.
Results of the survey indicate that “there are opportunities for producers to modify marketing practices to assist consumers in making better informed olive oil purchasing decisions.”
Reading the survey results will provide consumers with a lot of information about olive oil’s attributes and will help consumers make better purchasing choices.
More information about the survey:
- Read the UC Davis press release about the survey
- Read the full survey results
- UC Davis Olive Center
Other recent olive oil news stories:
- Olive oil ‘fridge test’ doesn’t reliably detect fraud, March 2013
- New olive oil testing program aims to boost quality and reliability, January 2013